Editorial October 22, 1910 Issue

"THE FINGER OF GOD"

Annie M. Knott

THERE are a good many devout people who are held down to an anthropomorphic sense of Deity by the literal interpretations of Scripture which have been so largely accepted in the past, and which will doubtless be accepted by many so long as a material concept of God and man prevails in human belief. The pity is that so many fail to see that the giving up of material belief for the spiritual fact never lessens faith, but instead strengthens it. Like Thomas, they insist upon seeing the print of the nails, quite forgetting that Christ Jesus did not commend this mental attitude, but condemned it when he said, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." In Science and Health (p. 547) we are told that "inspired thought relinquishes a material, sensual, and mortal theory of the universe, and adopts the spiritual and immortal;" and Mrs. Eddy adds, "It is this spiritual perception of Scripture, which lifts humanity out of disease and death and inspires faith."

In the 31st chapter of Exodus we find the statement that Moses was given "two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." Most scholars readily admit that this statement is purely figurative, an oriental way of conveying the idea that Moses had received the law direct from God, but there are some people who seem to think that the authority of the Ten Commandments depends upon the question whether they were literally in the handwriting of God. They seem to overlook the fact that we must find the divine origin of law, and its authority, not in historical attestation, but in the nature of the law itself and because it is seen to be necessary to human welfare. Thus we can explain to our children that the Ten Commandments are the basis of all human codes which uphold justice and right; and that no one can absolutely obey the law so far as it applies to his fellow-men unless he first recognizes the Supreme Lawgiver, who says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

There are nearly one hundred texts in the Bible which refer in some way to the hand of God, all of which present the idea of the power and activity of infinite Mind. In the Old Testament we find many such passages. For instance, in I. Samuel we read that "the hand of God was very heavy" (in the destruction of error) ; and the psalmist tells us that "with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm" God delivered Israel. Then we have the gracious promise that God will write His laws upon the hearts and minds of all men, and this is perhaps the one statement as to the handwriting of God which most concerns us today.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

"THE FINGER OF GOD"

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access